Pavakka - Bitter gourd recipes

Bitter gourd is a nutritious vegetable.
Rich in vitamins and minerals, especially
vitamins A, B1, B2, C , beta-carotene, potassium and iron. It's got medicinal value and helps in reducing blood sugar.
Pavakka is the malayalam name for bitter gourd.

Here are some recipes to try out with bitter gourd.

Pavakka Pachadi - Bitter gourd in yogurt

Ingredients

250 gm -Pavakka

Grind to a paste
3 - Green chilli
Coconut - 1 cup
Mustard -1/2 teaspoon
Curd/ yogurt (medium sour)-2cup

Seasoning
1 tsp - Mustard
Curry leaves
Oil
Salt

Method

1 ) Wash and chop pavakka into small pieces.Deep fry pavakka in oil till light brown in colour or in a non-stick pan you can fry pavakka with little oil till it is light brown in colour.

2 ) Grind coconut, mustard and green chilli first. Then add curds, salt and grind to a smooth paste.

3 ) Add to the pavakka and warm in a very low heat.(don't boil it). Take off stove before it boils. Now season with mustard ,curry leaves and dry red chilli.

Serve with rice. The bitterness is reduced when pavakka is fried.

Pavakka Pulli Curry -Bitter gourd tamarind curry

Ingredients

250 gm - Pavakka
1- Onion cut into small pieces
lime size - Tamarind
1 cup - Coconut
1 inch piece - ginger
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1.5 tsp - Coriander powder
1/2 tsp - chilli powder salt

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Oil
Salt

Method

1 ) Wash & cut pavakka into small pieces. Cook pavakka in tamarind water with onion and chopped ginger.

2 ) Fry or dry roast coconut to light brown, then add turmeric,coriander & chilli powder and fry for one minute.

3 ) Grind the coconut and powders with water to a smooth paste. Add this mixture to cooked pavakka.
When the gravy thickens, season with mustard & curry leaves and pour into the curry.
Serve this with rice.This curry is tangy from the tamarind and a dash of bitterness from the pavakka.

Pavakka Thoran - Bitter gourd fry


Ingredients

250 gm - Pavakka ( cut into small pieces)
10 flakes - garlic ( crush garlic)
5 - shallots (diced)
1.5 tsp - crushed chilli powder
1/2 tsp - turmeric powder
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Method
1 ) In a non-stick pan heat oil and add curry leaves. Then add the diced shallots and fry till light brown.

2 ) Add the crushed garlic and stir till the raw smell goes. Add crushed red chilli powder, Turmeric and salt. Stir and add pavakka. Stir and mix in the masala well.

3 ) Reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook the pavakka on low heat. Cover with a tight lid. Check in between to see if pavakka is cooked, give a stir. Add a little more oil and fry the pavakka. Serve with rice or chapathi as side dish.

Tip : Use moderate salt in pavakka recipes.....with the bitterness of the pavakka,too much of salt can mess up the dish.